Positive Carbon Solution

Positive Carbon Headings

Cut backs to 80% of current emissions will not be sufficient, even if they can be arranged, so the following headings indicate measures which may combine to provide a sufficiently radical change. They will be expanded on this page as more facts emerge. In general these are not measures which are possible today. As the public recognises the truth tey can be announced for implementation at a future date so that the grave social implications can be tackled worldwide.

While cost benefit analysis predominates in our thinking effective action is impossible. Roosvelts action to turn the car factories entirely over to armaments for 3 years in 1941 is typical of the actions which will be needed in the war against climate change.

Ban all burning with a very few exceptions

The point at which CO2 enters the atmosphere is a vital control point. Each point must be controlled minutely. Burning of forests, brushwood, wood pellets, rubbish must be terminated for 10 years at least. Combustible materials must be stored as a carbon sink even if they originated from renewable sources.

Ban all forestry and the cutting of any live trees with very few exceptions

Cutting a tree is the start of a chain which leads to increases in CO2 in the short term at least. A ten year ban is needed at the very least.

All wood products will be redesigned to be made from oil based plastics thus giving the oil industry a replacement for its current fuel business.

Energy in the home will be entirely electric as fossil fuel burning has been banned.

Where ever possible electricity will be home generated as grid electricity will be limited to that produced from non burning or 90% non CO2 sources. Grid electricity will be rationed during the transition. Combined Heat and Power projects already capture CO2 and achieve 90% efficiency by feeding the CO2 through greenhouses for absorbtion.

All new houses must be carbon positive and generate the maximum solar power

Existing houses and Listed Buildings may only be viable, unheated, in the Summer and their owners may need alternative housing in the Winter due to electricity rationing.

This is similar to the way the Russians lived in the 1980's. They had flats near their work in the Winter and enjoyed their datchas (on land provided by the state) in the Summer.

Cars will be electric

While electric cars have limited mileage they will not be owned personnally but will be available to be booked and picked up from charging points where they will be returned the same day. Regular long personal car use will be impossible so people will have to live nearer to their work.

Homes nearer to work

It will be an employer's responsibility to organise accommodation near to work for all employees. An allowance for total commuting distance will be divided between employees by negotiation during recruitment. The allowance for travel will be small so minimal housing will be provided close to work for the majority of workers. It will be prefabricated from oil industry plastic components with government funding.

Prefabicated housing for all

Mass production of minimal housing from oil industry components. All windows walls and roof to be solar generators and construction to be insulated on the Passivhaus basis to require no heating. Funding to be provided from penal taxation on the fossil fuel that will be burned during the transition.

Leisure travel restrictions

Particularly in the short term leisure travel will be severely rationed. This will cause great hardship to the elderly whose relatives will be unable to visit them. Video links will be developed to enable contact without the need to travel. Care services may need to be adapted and a care bank might be possible whereby care given locally might provide credit for care given to distant relatives.

Cement manufacture and concrete replaced

Cement accounts for one sixth of carbon emissions. It must be replaced by polymers based on oil so that oil companies have a better use for their product.

Air travel to be rationed and heavily taxed.

Alternatives to be developed for migration, seasonal migration and holidays by rail and bus travel. Extensive use of video conferencing replacing business travel except in exceptional circumstances.

Reverse Population Flow

Recently migration has been from Third World countries to developed countries. In most cases the different personal lifestyle has resulted in an increase in CO2 emissions. The new civilisation would benefit from solar power generation in many of the hotter and poorer countries. This is unlikely while they are ravaged by conflicts and the installations are at high risk of destruction. The economic benefits to the poorer countries could be the catalyst for the reform of their political systems and their openness to incoming migration and stabilisation.

Cap and Trade

Cap and Trade established to control an orderly transition to zero burning.

Carbon Offsets

These are abandoned except where the trade is in the same 5 year period. Planting a tree that will not absorb your emission for 50 years is not an option.

Priority given to carbon saving technologies

Revision of patents law in relation to carbon cutting technologies

The ability of the patent holder to slow or restrict the use of a patented method would be removed. Any product using patents must reserve 5% of the sale price to reimburse the patent holders which is then paid to a central agency. The agency will divide the fees between those whose patents have been used.

The alternatives

While the above appears severely restrictive and almost impossible to implement the alternatives might be

1) Wholesale destruction of the worlds ecosystems, economic collapse, major flooding and starvation leading to global warfare.

or 2) Neutron bombs released to reduce the human population to the level the earth can sustain at current per capita consumption.

or 3) God's intervention.

In sorrow

Malcolm